Artificial trees are trees that are not natural trees. Artificial trees do not occur as a product of nature. Artificial trees are a product of human construction activity. Some artificial trees may have a trunk and branches approximating the form of a natural tree. Artificial trees may be displayed in place of a natural tree. An artificial tree may be constructed from a variety of materials. Constructing an artificial tree from some materials may aid conservation of the natural environment. For example, some artificial trees may be constructed from plastic or metal. Artificial trees may be constructed to various heights. Some artificial trees may be very tall.
Users of artificial trees include individuals and organizations. Users may employ artificial trees to display decoration for a special occasion. Many artificial trees are illuminated with visible light. Artificial trees may display visible lights located in various parts of the tree, including the trunk or branches. Some artificial trees display many lights. Some artificial trees may display various groups of lights at different times. For example, the lights displayed by some artificial trees may be turned on and off in groups to display various lighting patterns. In some artificial trees, lighting patterns may include multiple lights of various colors at different times. Some artificial trees employ a single light in the base of the tree. Optical fibers may couple a light in the base to the trunk or branches. Lights may be dim near the top of taller trees with long optical fibers coupled to a light in the base of the tree, due to optical loss in the long optical fiber. Some artificial trees change the displayed lighting color over time by directing the light through a rotating color wheel.
An artificial tree may require significant electrical energy. Very tall artificial trees may have many lights. An artificial tree with many lights may consume more energy and cost more to operate than a shorter tree with fewer lights. The illumination in some artificial trees may remain active for extended periods of time. For example, an artificial tree employed by a retail business storefront may remain active for several months. An artificial tree with many lights may consume more electrical energy. Artificial trees employing a motorized rotating color wheel may require additional electrical energy to rotate the color wheel. Increased consumption of electrical energy to illuminate lights in an artificial tree may impact the environment and increase the operating cost of the tree.
Some artificial trees may be powered from various electrical energy sources. Some artificial trees may be battery powered. In some examples, a battery-powered artificial tree may be configured with a rechargeable battery. An artificial tree illuminated for a long time may require many batteries consuming significant space. In some scenarios, the power cords or battery of a powered artificial tree may reduce a user's enjoyment of the tree. For example, an artificial tree's batteries or power cord may be in view and reduce the artificial tree's visual appeal. In an illustrative example, the batteries or power cord may conflict with user activity near the tree, perhaps even becoming a safety hazard.